Hidden Reasons
by Settiai
Summary: She had more than one reason for offering him a job. :: Cuddy/House


Title: Hidden Reasons

Author: Settiai

Disclaimer: "House, M.D." and other related characters are all properties of FOX and related corporations. No infringement is intended. This story, such as it is, was written as a sign of respect and love for the characters, the show, and their creator. I claim no ownership of the aforementioned show and characters.

Rating: PG-13

Explanation: This is my story for the House (M.D.) Rareathon on LiveJournal.

Summary: She had more than one reason for offering him a job.

Feedback: Comments and helpful criticisms are always appreciated.

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"I'm willing to offer you a job."

Cuddy kept her face carefully neutral as House glanced back at her, his gaze searching her for… something. "I know that he fired you before his promotion," she continued, pointedly ignoring the way he was studying her. "I've been talking with people higher up, and they're interested in starting a department of diagnostic medicine. Your name came up when we were discussing who to name head of the department."

House silently studied her face for several more seconds before arching his eyebrows. "Is it because you feel guilty?" he asked, his voice almost casual as he gestured toward his leg. "Or because we had sex back in med school?"

Cuddy closed her eyes for just a moment. "Why the hell do I even bother?" she muttered, bringing her hand up to rub her aching temple before opening them again.

House was still staring at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"You're good at what you do," she said, carefully keeping any kind of emotion from appearing on her face or in her eyes. "But you're also an ass. That's why no one else will give you a chance."

"And why exactly are you so willing to give me a chance?" House asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice that even he couldn't hide.

Cuddy leaned forward in her chair, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe it's because I feel guilty about what happened with your leg last year," she said, meeting his gaze head-on. "Hell, maybe I should inflate your ego even more and say that it's because the sex was just that damn good."

House smirked and started to speak, but she held up her hand before he had a chance to say a word. "But I think your ego's inflated enough as it is," she said, "so maybe I should try to deflate it some by telling you that after all this time I don't remember enough about the sex to even consider giving you a job over it."

"If you didn't remember it, you wouldn't have brought it up in the first place," House said impishly.

Cuddy gave him a disbelieving look. "Me? You're the one who--" She trailed off, shaking her head as she realized that he was baiting her. "All that I've technically done is offer you a job," she said warningly. "I can always withdraw the offer before you sign anything."

"I don't remember agreeing to take your job," House said, twirling his cane slightly out of what appeared to be unconscious habit.

"You would've walked right out of this office without even stopping if you hadn't planned on taking me up on the offer," Cuddy said without hesitation.

House opened his mouth, but after a few seconds he closed it back and shot her a begrudging look. "Those things must pick up brainwaves," he said, gesturing toward her breasts for a second before turning to leave. "It's the only explanation."

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "Tell Wilson 'hi' for me," she said without missing a beat. "And be here first thing in the morning to fill out the paperwork."

"Yeah, yeah," House called over his shoulder. "I'm only doing this to help ease your guilty conscience."

As the door slammed shut behind him, Cuddy settled back in her chair. "Of course, the sex was pretty good," she admitted to the empty room, her mouth twisting open into a smirk. "Not that he'll ever hear that from me."

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_Early 1990s…_

"Lisa Cuddy, get your ass over here!"

Lisa grabbed an extra shot glass as she heard the familiar voice coming from the other end of the room, and she quickly made her way through the throng of med students gathered around the bar. "Katie," she said, nodding when she finally made her way up to where her friend was standing.

"Mark told me that you disappeared at his Halloween party," Katie said with a knowing grin, grabbing the shot glass from her Lisa's hand. "He mentioned a resident in a pirate costume?"

Lisa rolled her eyes as she took a small sip of her drink. "What's your point?"

"Come on," Katie said with a grin, "spill."

"What do you want me to say?" Lisa asked, raising her eyebrows. "It sounds like your boyfriend's already filled you in. I met a cute guy at the party and we went back to his apartment."

The other woman gave her a pointed look. "And?"

"And we…" Lisa paused for just a second, a noticeable smirk making its way onto her face. "…had some fun involving lots of tequila and a pair of handcuffs."

"And?"

Lisa shook her head. "What do you think happened?" she asked with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"Fill me in anyway," Katie said with a wink.

_Lisa let out a shriek of laughter as he casually closed the handcuffs around her wrist, moments before attaching the other end to the headboard of the bed. Both of their movements were slightly clumsy due to the tequila they had been more than a little liberal with, but it didn't take much effort for him to press his lips against hers in an attempt to stop her laughter. "What's so funny?" he asked hoarsely as he pulled away._

"He showed me firsthand how the handcuffs worked," Lisa said, grinning a bit as she took another sip of her drink.

"_Your costume," Lisa shot back teasingly. "I've already lost my mine, so don't you think it's about time you got out of yours."_

"_You don't like my costume?" he asked, feigning shock. "And here I was thinking that--"_

_Lisa rolled her eyes and did the only thing she could think of to shut him up… plant her tongue firmly in his mouth._

"And?"

"And the morning after, I woke up with marks all over my body and a boy in my bed naked save for his eye patch," Lisa finished with a wink.

Katie let out a peal of laughter as she downed her own drink in one swift gulp. "Did you at least get his name?" she asked teasingly. "Or was it one of those guys that you do your best to forget as soon as you're sober?"

Lisa shook her head. "His name was House," she said. "Gregory House. He's some kind of genius, not to mention pretty easy on the eyes. Plus the sex? It's the best that I've had in ages."

"Oh really?" Katie asked, a knowing glint in her eyes. "So are you and Mr. Gregory House planning any more fun with those handcuffs in the near future?"

"Hell no," Lisa shot back, barely holding back laughter at the startled look that appeared on Katie's face, "the guy's a total jerk."

"But you just said…"

"I said that he's a genius who's easy on the eyes and a killer in bed," Lisa said, shaking her head. "That doesn't mean I want to see him on a daily basis. I'd probably end up killing him."

Katie gave her a knowing look, and after a few seconds had passed Lisa let a sheepish smile make its way onto her face. "I got the impression that he's not my type," she admitted. "Or, more precisely, I'm not his type. Most of the time, at least."

"Don't tell me this is about the age thing," Katie said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, there can't be more than six years or so between you."

Lisa started to reply, but she paused for a second when she saw a familiar form on the other end of the room. "No, that's not it," she said distractedly, watching two men quietly slip out the door. "I'm just a little too… curvy.

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Cuddy shook her head as she gathered up the paperwork laying on the top of her desk, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she remembered a conversation that she had almost ten years earlier.

"Working with House on a daily basis," she muttered, an amused tone in her voice. "I guess we'll find out if I can resist killing him after all."


End file.
